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Here's Why Chatbot Technology is Still in its Chatbaby Phase

FREMONT, CA: Chatbots and digital assistants with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) have acquired a place in many business processes. The advancement in their ability to integrate natural language processing (NLP) capability is allowing chatbots to assist the employees with sophisticated functions such as enterprise search. However, as of now, there is a limitation to the functionalities of the AI-based chatbots. For example, Instead of procuring a business document, a flawed chatbot may respond to content with high engagement level such as an office holiday party album.

Conversational Limitation: Lacks Human Element

Currently, Chatbots are extensively in use in customer service and retail operations. They assist in a range of services and information but are restricted to redundant results. Moreover, these services lack human element and disappoint those who expect a human to assist them. According to a recent study by Acqua, a software company, 45 percent of customers in Australia, Europe and, North America offered negative feedback to the chatbots.

The lack of human element in chatbots requires several technological gaps to be covered for their full-fledged deployment. After all, the whole idea of the digital assistants was to provide a human-kind of assistance. Further, extending their services to the enterprise level seems an uphill task. Thus, before releasing chat-based assistants in an enterprise, it’s necessary to understand the complex concept of machine learning (ML) and language shortcomings.

An Alternative to Chatbots

At present, the chatbots can assist in simple tasks, but they aren’t ready for complicated jobs. The solution involves using the available tools to build a system which can be accessed by the users at a centralized location. Hubs like intranets make information readily available to the employees. It also allows instant connection among employees, tools, and other systems. With remote working and mobile strategies in place, such systems can also support social media interactions among the employees and allow information exchange between actual humans rather than bots.

As of now, before deploying a digital assistant or chatbots, one must ensure an environment where content, tools, and resources are sufficient to support such systems, making information simple, relevant, and accessible.